Skin Deep
by cadywrites
Summary: Jacob McLaughlin. He was my other half... My sun on a rainy day... My best friend. Our lives seemed perfect, but only when I looked deeper did I realize just how wrong I was.
1. Prologue

**hey! this is my first fanfiction, and i just started writing it a few minutes ago. here's the prologue (of sorts). everything will fall in to place eventually. read and review please :) _comments and crits are welcome!_**

Jacob McLaughlin.

Me was my other half. My sun on a rainy day.

My _best friend_.

As with many people my age, I was trapped between my raging hormones and my needs to just have a friend to be with forever.

And who better than Jake?

But that isn't what I really wanted. At least, not that I knew. Him and I, we were inseparable. We'd known each other since birth; he was born on April 1st, just one day before I first opened my eyes to this strange new world. We'd been through everything. Aggravating the neighbors, playing pranks at school, and of course, helping each other through anything life could throw our way.

We truly were meant for each other. Friend or lover, it made no difference to me, just as long as he stayed by my side. And as long as he wanted me around, I would always be there.


	2. Who Am I Kidding?

**Emmie POV -**

I caught myself glancing up at the clock every couple seconds. By this time of the day, it was almost an automatic reaction. The traitorous clock knew this, of course, and seemed to drag each hand slowly to the next number.

Needless to say, I was always the first one out of the door once the bell rang. I raced down the halls, eager to see my friend and tell him of my great idea I had brewed in the six periods I had been away from him (and what a long six periods that was).

I stood on my toes, looking over the shadows of the students making their way outside, before I caught sight of the honey-tinted hair bobbing down the hall toward me. I quickly closed the distance between us and smiled hugely.

We both opened and closed our mouths several times, seeing who would voice their thoughts first. He went for it.

"My dear Emily! How are you on this fine day?" he smirked and bowed, taking my hand. I laughed and started walking (ignoring those damn butterflies in my stomach), pulling him along by his wrist.

"I'm as great as I could be, locked up in small, overly crowded rooms for six hours a day." - I smiled- "How 'bout you?"

"Just dandy." He paused, rolling his dark green eyes. "Actually, Advanced Placement classes really suck…" he trailed off, looking at the ceiling. "I have at least five hours of homework ahead of me tonight. Allow me to exaggerate the 'at _least_' part."

"It's what you get for being a genius." I stated, glancing at his olive toned face.

"What can I say? I try." He replied smugly, squeezing my hand (do I honestly even have to _mention _the butterflies again?).

We were approaching the busses by now, and although he lived just down the street from me, he rode a different bus. I racked my brain for my first topic (nearly forgotten in my traitorous blast of hormones), turning the words around in my head to make sure they were flawless.

"Hey well, Jake, I was wondering if you were busy this weekend? My parents are leaving for a few days to go to Chicago to see my grandparents-" I paused to take in his expression, "- so I thought we could have a movie night?" I shrugged, feeling my face burning.

"That'd be great, Em!" he exclaimed, grinning widely at me. I couldn't control the smile that spread across my face. He was almost never allowed to come over anymore, though he never told me why, he simply mentioned it was just his "parents being parents".

I glanced toward the bus, which engine had just begun to hum loudly, and back at Jake. He was staring at me, into my eyes. Looking _through_ me, to be sure. He was too good at reading me. Annoyingly so. His eyes softened and he smiled slightly, hugging me goodbye and whispering in my ear:

"Gotta run."

I shivered as I watched him run to his bus, hopping on with effortless grace, as the last of his cool breath tingled it way down my spine. I _loved_ when he did that.

I stopped, mentally slapping myself.

_ Just a friend. Just a friend._

I repeated the mantra to myself as I climbed into my bus and dropped into my seat.

_ Oh, who am I kidding_?

I smiled, closing my eyes as the bus began to edge it's way down the street.

- - - - - - - - - - -

**chapter two! the girl's name is Emily, but Jake calls her Em or Emmie. :)**

**R&R please! :)**

**more coming very soon!**


	3. Preparations

**Emmie POV -**

The days leading to the weekend movie night passed quickly and without incident, and before I knew it, I was lying in my bed on Saturday morning. I stared at the ceiling, nothing on my mind as I tried to fall asleep once more.

When the memory that I was hosting a "party" tonight came to a screeching halt in my mind, I jolted out of bed and raced to the bathroom, washing my face and brushing my teeth.

I then pivoted on my heel, to face the offending shower.

God, I hate mornings.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

**Jake POV -**

I walked quickly down the road, away from the yelling taking part between my parents (what's new?). I'd just barely been able to get away before they turned on me. And personally, I don't think bruises are the new "_fashion_ statement".

I looked myself over. I looked _okay _I guess, donning a dark purple button up shirt, making the dark circles around my eyes (gifts of insomnia, I suppose) less noticeable. This _was _my favourite shirt, after all, though nothing seemed really _right_ when you're up against your (beautiful) best friend.

I shook my head, frowning a bit, before fastening my stride.

_Almost there!_

I hopped onto her front step, knocking twice.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

**Emmie POV -**

I had popped nearly ten bags of popcorn, messed with my bangs at _least_ eight times, and was now sporting my yellow smiley-face pajama bottoms with an over-sized purple hoodie. I took in my reflection in the mirror (albeit reluctantly). I snickered when I realized he had probably gotten dressed up for this, while I was wearing an outfit (if you can even call it that) that I put together in the dark.

I nearly ran in to the wall when two soft knocks thrust their way into my mind. I raced downstairs and quickly flung open the door, revealing Jake standing, his arms crossed behind his back, glancing around happily.

He never seemed to be unhappy, and as such, his happiness instantly swept over me, a big grin engulfing my cheeks.

He was wearing a dark purple buttoned shirt, his sleeves rolled to his elbows. His pants were dress pants, black and straight. His honey-coloured hair swept over his eyebrows in a casual disarray. His eyes, perched above his high cheekbones, carried his signature dark circles. _Too many sleepless nights_, he said.

I enveloped him in a hug before grabbing his hand, pulling him into the living room.

**chapter three! hope you enjoy. r&r please? :)**


	4. What's Wrong?

**Emmie POV -**

Jake was surprisingly easy to please. It hadn't been more than five minutes before we both agreed on a movie; one he'd never seen, and one of my favourites. Elizabethtown.

I popped in the DVD, and before long we were snuggled (offly close) on the couch, munching on popcorn. Every so often - okay, maybe _more_ than that- I would quote the lines, and Jake would glare at me comically, which, ever time, would result in my uproar of laughter.

And then that part that always made me cry. I panicked when I felt the familiar prick of tears in my eyes, and as the scene went on, they were rolling down my cheeks, unchecked, in miniature streams. I tried to hide it from Jake, but with him being so perceptive to my thoughts, he was soon hugging me, whispering in my ear. I hardly heard anything he said, though; my heart was thumping so erratically in my chest, I'm surprised _he_ didn't hear it.

My sniffling soon died down, and to my delight I found that Jake still had his arm around my shoulder, pulling me to his chest. I drew a shuddering breath and relaxed, trying to pay attention to the movie rather than the small circles his thumb traced in back.

And as the credits began to roll down the screen, I wondered aloud what movie we would watch next. I looked at the clock: 8:05. We still had two hours, I figured. He voted on V for Vendetta, and I eagerly agreed. Who could _honestly_ pass up the opportunity to quote V's "V Speech"? Not me!

It became instantly obvious that I was in one of those _moods_. You know, the cry-at-every-opportunity kind. Luckily, Jake didn't seem to mind, and simply pulled me closer to him, running his fingers through my hair in what I'm sure was meant to be a soothing endeavor. Unfortunately it just it just served as another distraction from the movie. Not that _I_ minded.

When the movie ended, we simply sat together on the couch, not talking, but just enjoying the others' presence. I was the first to break the silence.

"It's so sad." I said, my mouth arranging itself into a frown.

"What is?" Jake looked down at me, his expression twisted to something that could've been caring or compassion, but just might have been the fact that he drank eight ice teas in four hours.

"That V died on the night of his revolution, the one thing he'd been living to see. And just when Evey, his only friend, began to fall for him…" I trailed off, staring at the corner of the ceiling.

Jake was quiet for a moment, thinking, most likely. He never stopped thinking. His face turned thoughtful, and then serious, and in less than a second, his lips were whispering into my ear:

"Would you say that we - you and I- are like V and Evey? Or Claire and Drew, possibly?" he murmured, his breathe tickling my cheek. I could _hear_ the smile in his voice. My face was burning, I could feel it. I turned my head to hide my embarrassment, and suddenly, he was standing up, pulling me with him. His eyes flashed to the clock: 11:35.

He looked down at me, his eyes filled with so many emotions, but there was one I didn't understand; fear.

My eyebrows pushed together, worried for him. What was wrong?

"I'm an hour late." his voice wavered a bit.

"Oh, Jake, I'm sorry! You didn't have to stay this long, now you're going to get in trouble, won't you? Just tell them it's my fau-"

And suddenly, his lips were pressed against mine, and all my worry disappeared. My head spun, and I allowed my eyes to flutter shut. If it were at all possible to think through the haze that had set in my mind, I would've been confused, I would have wondered why his action had been so sudden, so urgent.

But of course, thought was highly impossible at the time, and all too soon, he pulled away, staring into my eyes. Through them, I should say.

"Emily," he said softly, "I've got to go. You have no idea how much my parents will kill me." He glanced out of the window at the pitch black street.

I nodded dumbly, unable to formulate a better response.

"I don't want you to forget how much I care about you." He said softly, his fingers tracing my cheekbone. I shivered. He seemed so urgent. _Too_ urgent. It was scaring me.

_What's wrong_? My mind screamed.

His hand dropped from my cheek.

_What's wrong_?

And with one last look, deep into my soul - I could _feel_ it - he dissolved into the night.

**slight cliffhanger. hope you're not mad at me ;) **

**i want everyone to know that i'm writing this ENTIRE story off the _top of my head_. so chapters will become increasingly difficult for me to write, but i WILL write. i've got a basic shadow of an idea for this story to cover, but nothing is set in stone. so if there are any inconsistencies, mistakes or anything that just doesn't seem right or in place, please tell me and i'll fix it :)**

**lastly, r&r is always loved C:**

**thanks a bunch to the people have already reviewed. i feel like dancing every time i see a new review notice in my email. ;DD**


	5. Denial

**Emmie POV -**

I couldn't sleep that night. I lie awake, so many thoughts running rampant throughout my head I could not discern one from the next. I squeezed my eyes closed, a tear leaking from one corner and trickling over the bridge of my nose before slowly dripping to my pillow.

I struggled to think of what could possibly be going wrong. His parents were nice! Would they really go berserk for him being home a little late?

_And it's all your fault_. My conscience spat the words, and they went through me like a knife through butter. I pulled my legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, feeling like my heart was about to explode.

I hadn't known at the time, but I had already made up my mind to find out why he was acting so strange last night. I would call him tomorrow.

- - - - - - -

I rolled over to see sunlight streaming through my open curtains, momentarily blinding me. I had been lying awake all night, and I hadn't noticed when it was morning. The chirping of the birds outside seemed oddly out of place, given my current mood.

I glanced at the clock: 9:28. Late enough that he'd be awake. To not let him think I was up all night thinking about _him_.

I reached over to my desk, pulling the phone off the receiver and dialing his number quickly.

_Brrring._

_Brrring._

_Brrring._

_The number you've dialed is no longer in service, please check the number and dial aga-_

"Damnit!" I yelled, throwing the phone at my wall.

I needed to talk to him. No, more than that. I needed to _see_ him. But where was he? I couldn't really barge in to his house at nine in the morning (though, in all actuality, I _was_ considering it).

Suddenly, a thought struck me (and by struck me, I mean I felt like I'd just had the wind knocked out of me).

He didn't really like me.

He was just being a guy. _Playing with my feelings_.

I hugged my legs tighter, trying to stop the heavy breathing that had come with that thought.

_No_, I thought_, he wouldn't do that to me. He's my best friend_

_Or maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do, _my conscience sneered_. He may be _your_ best friend, but to him you'll only ever be _a_ friend. A pathetic, needy, little girl. All you do is hold him back._

My eyes widened, and tears spilled down my cheeks. No, no. I was his best friend. He'd told me so many times.

"_I don't want you to forget how much I care about you."_

_An act, _my mind said hautily.

I shook my head in denial.

No.

I may not know where he is, or what he's thinking, but I will _not_ let him down now.

I won't give up on him.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

inner conflict? xD or maybe she's just insane. ;)

either way, i'm not exactly sure which path i'm going to take for the next chapter (i have _quite a few_ alternatives)

thanks to all my awesome reviewers! love you guys! :)


	6. Why So Serious?

**JAKE POV:**

I ran home as fast as I could.

I opened the door just far enough to squeeze into the messy hall.

I tiptoed down the narrow stairs (damn their creaking) to my bedroom.

It wasn't enough.

I heard him yelling at mom already, a drunken slur draining from his lips.

I rolled into bed, fully clothed, in the hopes that he would think I had been home the whole time.

It wasn't enough.

Thundering steps stumbled down the stairs. I tensed in my false slumber.

"_GOD DAMNIT JACOB!"_

His beer bottle ricocheted from the back of my head and I held in a whimper of pain. The back of my head pulsed with pain but I remained quiet. _Please, please, please_, I prayed.

"_THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!_" He bellowed, knocking over my table in his stupor. "_YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT! ALL I WANTED WAS A GOOD SON AND THAT BITCH COULDN'T EVEN GIVE ME THAT!_" I heard crashes as he threw anything he could find at the peeling wall._ Soon he'll run out of things to throw_, I thought_. Be patient_, I told myself through the sob threatening to escape from my throat.

He was leaning over me then; I could feel his hot, drunken breath on my ears. I felt a searing pain where he had hit me as he grabbed my hair and yanked me from the bed. He dragged me up the stairs as I screamed in pain.

He threw me into the kitchen and I landed in a heap near the stove. The lights above swung and flickered, nearly blinding me as my eyes adjusted. Mom was standing in the corner crying, her mascara forming rivers down her cheeks. Scratches and bruises lined her arms, and at that moment I wanted nothing more than for him to just die. How could he ever do this to her? All she ever did was help and care and love. She didn't deserved any of this.

"Honey, please.." She sobbed, wiping her tears with her night gown. "Let's just go to bed and forget about this."

"You tried to _LEAVE ME_ today! How could I ever forget about that? You were going to move away with your little _bastard child_ and leave me to _DIE_."

"No, no, _please_, you don't understa-"

He lunged at her then, knocking her to the ground as the silver wear spilled over them. I darted toward them, trying to pull them apart. I pulled his shirt with all of my might but he wouldn't budge. Suddenly, he collapsed with a scream of pain.

Mom had found a knife. _Thank God_, I thought. His arm was bleeding profusely, getting all over her night gown that she loved so much.

Everything was quiet for a moment.

I almost expected him to shake her hand. _"Nice move, very sneaky. Never saw it coming!_" He would say.

Before I knew it, they were on the ground again. He had gotten the knife.

"Oh my God, no, no, _no_! _STOP_! Please! Oh God-" I yelled over and over.

I tried to save her.

Oh God, I really did.

_Oh God.._

He laughed, she screamed, I sobbed, my heart beat thudded in my ears until I swore I was going to die. And I curled in the corner of the room until there was no sound at all. _Maybe I'm dead. Is this Heaven?_ I thought. _Maybe he killed me too._

My hopes were crushed when I heard his laughter again. His footsteps got closer.

"Oh God, _oh God_, please, no. No, no, please." I muttered over and over again, my hands clenched together, eyes closed, and head turned sky-ward.

"_Why so serious_?"

My eyes shot open.

He grabbed me by the collar of that purple shirt that I loved so much. My heart stopped. _I'm going to die_, I thought. _Oh my God, I'm going to die. Goodbye Em. I love you so much._ I closed my eyes.

"_Why so serious?_"

I felt the cool, bitter taste of the kitchen knife in my mouth. I swallowed hard as tears streamed down my face. He moved the knife to the side of my lips.

"Let's put a _smile_ on that face."

And my world went black.

* * *

**wow. sorry for that um.. 9 month wait, guys. :0 i kind of almost forgot about this story. read it again today and realized i need to continue! :)**

**damn, though, this was a really hard scene to write. sorry for the language. :( had to do it for the **_**mood**_**.**

**i hope you enjoyed. tell me what you think. :)!**


	7. A Date

**Emmie POV -**

I was in a big rush.

I had to get home from work and get ready for a big date. This was important stuff. I had met this new guy through one of my coworkers, Jessie. Apparently he was a big deal in this town. But who knows, she's been wrong before.

I sat impatiently in my red Jaguar, tapping my fingers obnoxiously on the steering wheel. Could the traffic honestly have picked a worse time to get this congested?

I turned down a back street and switched on my GPS. My car did the rest, guiding me to the quickest route to my dinky little apartment. _Ahh_, technology. I got out of my car and slammed the door accidentally in my frenzy. I ran up the stairs to the apartment complex, saying hello to neighbors passing by.

I entered my "house" and threw my purse on the counter, walking quickly to the bathroom to fix up my hair and makeup. I decided on a 'less-is-more' take on life and applied just a bit of mascara and some blush (gotta accentuate those cheekbones!). I scurried over to my closet and opened up the folding double doors, peering into my wardrobe.

"Really?" I thought out-loud.

I had nothing to wear. Nothing at all.

Had I _seriously_ been too busy to go shopping for a nice little dress?

I rummaged through the clothes, throwing them behind me if I didn't quite approve. Just as I was about to give up hope, I spotted something in the back, behind some boxes of junk.

Oh, The Little Black Dress! The perfect outfit for all occasions. I grinned widely and slipped it on, finding some cute heels to match.

I glanced at the clock; 5:17. My date was in exactly.. _THREE MINUTES, HOLY-_

I jumped up and ran out of the room, almost falling in these ridiculous shoes, grabbed my purse, check my hair one last time, and ran to my car (receiving many odd looks from neighbors).

I sped down the highway toward the designated meeting spot. "This guy better be loaded," I hoped. The restaurant we had chosen was hellishly expensive.

I got out of the car and, one last time, fixed my hair in the rear view mirror. I strutted my stuff and walked into the entrance hall.

"Ma'am, are you Emily Redman?" I turned around and nodded. "Right this way please."

He guided me between spaced out tables, filled with important looking people wearing expensive clothes. He stopped in the corner.

"Here you are."

"Thanks." I said, turning to face my date. He was pretty handsome; dark hair and a nice face with intelligent looking eyes.

"Hi, I'm Emily," I said awkwardly, smiling and taking a seat across the table.

"Great to finally meet you, Emily. My friend was telling me a lot about you. My name's Bruce." He smiled and leaned further toward me. "So tell me about yourself."

We talked for hours and hours, sharing stories about ourselves and getting to know one another, and before long it was dark outside and the restaurant was emptying around us.

"Well we sure know how to clear a room." Bruce laughed, standing up and stretching. "I think we should go before they kick us out."

We walked outside into the cool, night breeze, and stood together for a moment. He brought me to my car and stepped back for a moment, looking at the sky.

"Well," he sighed, "we should do this again some time. You're a really neat girl, Emily, you know that?" I smiled quickly and turned to the side, and in a moment, his lips were on mine. Despite my surprise, I let my eyes close and enjoyed the moment until he pulled back.

"Sorry," he grinned slightly, brushing a hand through his hair.

"It's fine." I laughed, hoping to ease the awkwardness. He took a step back and looked at his watch.

"Well, I've gotta run, I'll call you some time, alright?" He winked and turned around, walking away.

I hardly heard him though.

My heart was beating erratically in my chest. What had he said?

_"I've gotta run-"_

My heart shattered.

_Jake.._

Tears welled within my eyes and spilled over, smearing my 'less is more' makeup down my cheeks.

I had forgotten about it. As hard as that sounds. I had gone through counseling after he had gone missing. It seemed at though he'd fallen off the planet. I could've sworn I would go nuts without him there to help me through life and take my hand, to tell me everything would be alright. But I'd made it. I'd forgotten him, against my will, but it was all for the better. Ten years I had been without him, and looking back, those were the longest years of my life.

I cried all the way back home.

All the way up to my dinky apartment that now seemed so void of everything.

All night, I cried.

I called off work the next day.

_What am I going to do now?_

_

* * *

_

**well, that's that! ten years have passed since the dreaded movie night. :( and no sign of poor jake. what happened to him? :0! the world may never know.**

**r & r please! you know i love you all. ;)**


	8. A Dream

**EMMIE POV -**

_What's going on? I'm running. That's all I know._

_What am I running from? I stop. I turn around. _

_Now I know. There's a face there. It's chasing me, everywhere I go, it's there._

_My world is spinning, uncontrolled. _

_Where am I?_

_Now I'm falling. When did I start? The bottom's getting closer, oh God-_

I darted forward in bed, breathing heavily as my eyes grow accustomed to the darkness all around me. It was 3 AM.

I sighed loudly and fell backward into my pillows, narrowly avoiding the headboard. These nightmares are getting worse. And yet they're always the same, every night. Whose is that face that I'm running from? I still haven't figured it out.

I decided I should get up and start getting ready, I can already see that trying to fall back asleep won't happen.

I walked into the bathroom and splashed my face. I couldn't help but feel unexcited at the sight that greeted me when I looked into the mirror. Did I always look this terrible in the mornings? Maybe just after the sleepless nights. Or after crying for hours on end. Either way, my eyes had dark circles all around them. My hair was a mess. I looked like I hadn't seen the sun in a few years.

I sat down in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal and ate it slowly, feeling quite empty inside. I couldn't bring myself to say who it is I knew I was missing. I groaned loudly as I spilled a puddle of milk over the side of the bowl. I reached for a napkin.

**EM.**

My heart stopped. With wide eyes, I stared at the napkin.

_What?_

Ja- I stopped myself - _He'_s the only one that ever called me that. Em.

But why is it written on a _napkin_?

A shiver went down my spine as I sat there, staring into the cereal. I had lost my appetite. I got up and dumped it into the sink, the napkin still clenched in my fist.

And as I walk into my room, I realized something.

It's his face. In the dream.

It's him I'm running from.

* * *

** * thank you simon, for your help. :) *  
**

**r & r please and thank you! if you have any suggestions / crits please tell me.  
**


	9. Magnets

**Emmie POV -**

I hate working.

I had been sitting at this desk since 9 AM. It was 3 PM now, and I was about to go insane. I saved and closed my typing files and began walking down the hall to the break room, my heels clicking on the tiled floors. I stopped at Jessie's cubicle and leaned into the entrance.

"Do you ever take a break?"

She turned around and glared at me. "Some people actually _care_ about their jobs, hun."

I rolled my eyes and smiled a little. "I care enough to take a nice long break, so I'll have better focus later."

"You're a bullshitter." She stated simply. We laughed together and she turned back to the computer screen, her manicured nailed pecking away at the keyboard.

"How did that date go?" She questioned after a few seconds.

"Oh," I thought for a second. I'd all but forgotten poor Bruce in the past couple days. "It went well. We have a lot in common."

"Any action?" She sounded serious, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"A little.." I egged her on.

"What?!" She twirled around and tossed one leg over the other gracefully. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, you know.." I examined my nails thoughtfully. I loved tormenting her.

"No. I don't. And you're going to tell me right now, before I make you regret it." She stared at me innocently and folded her hands. I held out for a few more seconds. "Well?!"

"Oh, just a little kiss. You are _so_ easy to aggravate!" I sang, prancing around the corner in time to hear her chair swirl back into place at the desk and her loud groan of irritation.

I strutted down the hall happily, smiling at the people I knew. I entered the break room and walked over to the water dispenser and grabbing a funnel shaped paper cup. I drained it at least three times before tossing it in the recycling bin.

"Ahh.." I turned around and looked at the fridge. I had a piece of cake in there and I swear I could hear it chanting my name.. I approached the fridge and opened it up, grabbing the little devil-child cake and glaring at it. I promised myself I wouldn't eat it until later, but a woman's gotta do what a woman's gotta do. I slammed the fridge and just as I was about to turn around and grab a plate, something caught my eye.

There were magnets on the refrigerator, the ones that were shaped like letters so that people could spell their names. We had two sets of A through Z on the front of the machine.

Someone had taken two black O's and a red parentheses and made a face. It was creepy and chilled my spine to look at it, amongst my colleague's names and random words. This one seemed out of place. Who would've put that there? I stared at it for a little longer and suddenly I realized there was something stuffed behind one of the O's. I reached out and took ahold of it, pulling it from behind the ominous smiling face. It was a small piece of paper. I unfolded it.

**"SEE YOUR SCREEN."**

The words were cut out from a newspaper, that's all I knew. I looked at the smiling face, and knew it meant my computer. I stood up, leaving the cake on the table, and ran to my cubicle, ignoring the eyes that travelled behind me, wondering what was going on. I turned quickly into doorway of my workplace and looked at the computer. Nothing seemed different. I walked closer. At the top corner of my dock, the Mail icon was bouncing up and down. A new email. I grabbed my chair from behind and pulled it underneath me, sitting down quickly and pulling out the keyboard tray. I moved the cursor to the mail icon and clicked.

**"FIND ME AT 4th STREET."**

I stared at the message, my heart beat stumbling. I glanced at the sender line; blank. No one had sent this? How was that possible? I scrolled up and down the page, looking for any small print that would give me a trace of who was talking to me.

Nothing.

I fell backwards in my chair and stared into the fluorescent lights above me.

Why was _I _always the one that weird things happened to?

* * *

**another message? uh oh. :0!**


	10. Fourth Street

**Emmie POV -**

I had decided that I would go to 4th Street and meet.. whoever it was that sent me that message, at 10 o'clock. It was 9:45 now, and I was pacing my apartment slowly, getting more impatient by the second. By 9:58, I'd had enough. I grabbed my coat and pushed through the heavy wooden door to the hallway that lead outside.

I walked past the doors of my neighbors, filled with sounds of husbands and wives arguing, babies crying, televisions buzzing, and radios blasting, and into the night air in which there was no sound at all. I rounded a few corners and soon 4th Street was within my view. My heart skipped a beat and hammered in my chest. Was I making the right decision? I could be walking right in to the hands of a rapist or a killer. I looked around, the only sounds were cars whizzing down the street in front of me and the quiet bubble of the people in the bars lining the sidewalks. I check my pocket. Pepper spray? Check. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, tasting the moon on my tongue. And I walked forward.

I stepped on to 4th Street, hearing the pedestrians clicking and clacking their shoes against the cemented sidewalks, and I turned down the corner. And then it hit me.

Fourth Street was big. How on Earth was I supposed to know where this person was going to be?

I groaned and trudged forward, deciding to begin my mission on the closer end of the street. I passed a shoe store, a hair salon, a bar, a pet store...

And then an electronics store.

_"Stay tuned for more news at 11 on this deranged criminal on the loose!"_

I spun around, curious to see who they were talking about. And then I saw it.

The same face that was made on the refrigerator was now huge, multiplied by a thousand on an enormous television at the front of the store I had turned to face. It was a drawing on a piece of paper. Two scribbled O's over a messily drawn red smile.

I gasped and turned around, realizing what this meant. A criminal had contacted me? A _deranged_ one, at that? How had he gotten my email address? He probably knew I was here. He was probably watching me right now. I had to get out of here before it was too late.

I turned down the next alley I could find, I was walking quickly, the pepper spray at the ready, perched in my palm. I heard something move behind me and I whipped around, looking around me, and backed up slowly.

And suddenly, I was in the arms of someone. They had their hands over my mouth, and a gloved hand quickly took the pepper spray out of my hand, tossing it down the alley until it clattered to a stop. My last chance of saving myself was gone. I kicked around, clawing at the person's jacketed arms and the gloved hand that was over my mouth. I made as much noise as I could, but it was no use. There was nobody to hear me scream.

The person put a piece of fabric over my eyes, and dragged me along beside him. I had no way of telling where I was going, and the once calming scent of the night air was now frightening, making me shiver even with my heavy coat on.

I knew I was in a building then, I had been carried up the entrance stairs and my attacker had not yet put me down, but I could hear the tapping of their feet on the flooring. I still tried to squirm away, but I knew now that it was absolutely no use. Who ever this was, he must have been working out lately.

We had stopped. The man (for I knew it was not a woman) turned me around to face him. He put his hands around my head and began to untie the fabric.

**ohhhhh no. she got caught. by whoooo?**

**read & review please. :)**


	11. How Could You Forget Me?

**Emmie POV -**

I opened my eyes to the sight of dark green eyes smeared with black makeup, and the same smile which had tainted the refrigerator and the television earlier.

The man in the makeup grabbed my wrists and walked me until my back was against the hard, metal walls of the room, and leaned close to my face.

"Do you know who I am?" he breathed into my ear. A shiver trailed down my spine as I kept my head down, avoiding his icy eyes. I swallowed my fear and remained silent.

"I asked you a question!" He tightened his grip on my wrists with inhuman strength, causing me the wriggle in pain.

"I don't know what you want!" I shrieked. "How did you get my email? Who are you?" I continued to try to free myself, though I knew it was useless. He leaned in closer and dropped us both to our knees.

"How did you forget me?" He whispered. His voice had changed now. It was quiet, and aching with a hurt I could not understand. I looked up, with the hopes of inquiring with my eyes, and looked into his. And I remembered everything.

"_Jake_..?"

My breath stopped in my lungs. My heart stuttered to halt. He turned his face away.

"Oh my God."

Tears spilled from my eyes and my heart had started again, but I wished it hadn't. It was aching incredibly now; I couldn't breathe. I couldn't feel. What was going on?

"Why are you here?" I asked, my chest feeling as if it were going to explode from longing. He didn't answer.

"What happened to you?" I tried again, staring at his lips. There were huge scars trailing up his cheeks, forming a blistered smile. His eyes were hollow now, not deep and warm like they once were. His hair was tangled and matted and frayed, dark and uncared for. His warm, honey tinted hair was nowhere to be found.

He drew a deep, shuttering breath, falling backwards onto the floor. He landed with a clang on the metal plates, his entire body shaking. I took his hand.

"Jake..-"

He flicked his wrist and his hands were gripping mine, his eyes boring holes into me.

"Never call me that."

I backed away in fear, my eyes wide. I sat there, staring fearfully out of the window across the room. What had happened in those ten years we were apart?

I felt him next to me then, and his arm slithered around my shoulders, pulling me against his chest. All I could smell was tobacco and gasoline. I laced my arms around his stomach.

"I'm so sorry.." He trailed off, his voice shaking. He pulled me tighter to his chest, and I could hear his heart thundering inside, thousands of beatings a second. He breathed deeply and kept me there, and suddenly I was crying, tears streaming from my eyes and dripping from my cheeks to his jacket. He stood up then, pulling me with him, and pulled me closer than ever toward him, nearly crushing me in the process.

"I missed you so much Em. You have no _idea_ how much I missed you. There wasn't one day I ever stopped thinking about you.."

I hugged him back, burying my face in his chest.

"Why did you leave me?" I asked, my voice cracking as I remembered.

"I - No, Emily, I never left you. I would never leave you. I'm too selfish to be without you. I just knew you could never love me back if I looked like this.." He trailed off, dropping his arms from around me and turning around. He walked over to a chair in the corner and sat down, his hand over his face. His makeup had all but disappeared during our ordeal.

I walked over to him slowly and kneeled in front of the chair, grabbing his hand away from his face and staring at him.

"Do you know how long I've wanted you back?" I let my words sink in. He wouldn't look me in the eyes. I went on- "Do you think I've ever cared what you look like? You're Jake-" (oops, wasn't supposed to call him that) "-and that's all I've ever wanted. Just you. I've always loved your face, and I still love it."

He looked at me, his eyes red with suppressed tears, and stood up with me, pulling my face toward his, and kissed me gently on the forehead. His lips brushed along my nose down to the tip, kissing me there as well. He moved to my cheek, and then my neck, and trailed my jaw until finally, after ten long years, our lips connected.

My heart stopped, and I pulled him closer, wrapping my arms around his neck. He tightened his arms around my waist until I could hardly breathe, and suddenly we were apart.

"I'm sorry.." He stuttered, turning around in the small, cell-like room.

"Oh, no, Jake. It's fine," I blubbered. "What did I do wrong?"

"This is just wrong, you don't deserve this. You can go home. I'll never bother you again."

My eyebrows furrowed together and my mouth arranged itself into a firm line. "You don't _want_ me here?"

"Of course I do, I just-"

"Good. Because I'm not leaving now. You have no idea how long I've wanted to find you, and now that I've got you, there's no way I'm losing track of you again."

He sighed, closing his eyes and leaning his cheek against his hand.

"You wanna know how I got these scars?"

* * *

**woooooaaaaah looks like they met up again. :) how cuuuute.  
i don't really feel like making the joker nuts like he is in the movie. it's too much work and personally i'd like to write kissy scenes more than crazy, bombing building scenes. if you know what i mean. haha. :))))) but i'll prolly still write some action scenes somewhere in here. so yeah he's super out of character, but that's kaaaaay. :) tell me what you think!**


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